Box.



MoGOMAS LEWIS.

BOX.

APPLICATION FILED 1.21. 1909.

Patented 'Nov. 12, 1912.

nllll 2 -To all whom it may cohqe- UiNrrnn is'rArnsrATENT omnoa.

McQOMAS LEWIS; or wasrinie'ron, insurer or COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'IO BYRNES, TOWNSEND & rmcxnns'rnm, or wasnme'ron, msrmcr or COLUMBIA.

Box.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1912.

i n-easem nt, 21, 1909. Serial No. 473,458.

Be itknown that I, MoCoMAs LEWIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boxes, of .whichthe following is a specification. I

This invention relates to'boxes, traveling bags, suit-cases or like receptacles used more especially for packing or transporting garments, and comprises a box or receptacle in which the garments are held in proper position irrespective of the position in which the box is turned.

The invention further comprises a fastening device for a box or receptacle of this character.

One form of box constructed in accordance with my invention'is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a box and cover in separated relation; Fig. 2 isa plan view of the box showing the interior thereof, and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the box, on line 8-3 of Fig. 2, showing the garments in place therein.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents a 'pasteboard box of usual form, and 2 the cover therefor. As shown this box-'and cover are of the folded type with interlocked tongue-and-slot corners 3, the cover being of substantially the same depth as the box and fitting over it.

\Vithin the box and attached by any ap' propriate means to one end thereof is a sheet or strip 4:, which may be comparatively 1 narrow at its attached end, widen-ing to substantially the Width of the box at its free end. As shown this sheet, which is conveniently of pasteboard, extends nearly the entire length of the box, affording room for the fold 5 of the garment 6, Fig. 3. This sheet may be attached'by any suitable means.

to the body of the box, preferably at one end of the box, near the bottom thereof, as for example by means of metal fasteners, glue or the like. A convenient mode of attachment is that illustrated wherein the downwardly turned end 7 of the sheet 4 is slipped between the box-end and an attached strip 8 formed by slitting the end along parallel lines. A sheet or strip 9, similar to the sheet 4, is attached to the opposite end of the box at a somewhat higher. level in such manner as to overlap the sheet 4: and to retain a second garment or portion of a suit as illustrated at 10 in Fig. 3. Obviously a third sheet or strip may be provided in boxes intended for three-partsuits, although as a rule one garment may be laid under, be tween, or over the others, two sheets only being required.

It will be understood that the. sheets or strips 4 and 9 and their attaching parts are not rigid, so that the garments may readily be packed after the box is assembled, the strips being merely lifted from i one end without being removed- This permits permanent fasteners to be used if desired. Obviously the free end of the strip may be rolled back upon itself or otherwise thickened to avoid a sharp crease in the garment. The box is conveniently packed by raising the free ends of the sheets 4 and 9, laying a portion of the garment along the bottom of the box, placing the lower sheet in position thereon, and folding the other portion of the garment over the sheet. The operation is then repeated for the next garment or garments, and the cover placed in position and suitably secured.

One advantage of the described construction is that the box may be turned upon either end without any tendency of the garments to slip down to the end of the box which is lowermost; for it will be observed that one of the garments is in any case securely supported and held by the strip which it infolds, and it is found that the' sistance of the sheet infolded by the other garment and of the adjacent portion of the box or cover, is sufficient in all cases to prevent any slipping or displacement of either garment. It is perfectly feasible to ship the garments in a box of this character without danger of injury.

When the contents'of a box slip to one end they tend to force the box open at that end. In the present construction however there is no tendency to slipping or to the massing of the garments at one end of the box, and it therefore becomes practicable to fasten the box by simple means. I have illustrated for this purpose tongues 11 having enlarged upper ends 12 cut from the lower portion of each side of the box body,

and adapted to engage angular slots 13 formed in the cover portion, the cover in this case being preferably slipped between the body of the box and the tongue. When the box is closed the upper part of the tongue is slipped through the angular slot, locking therewith, as will be'readily understood. Obviously this fastening device may be of any approved form or type, and may be located elsewhere than as herein illustrated.

I claim: .1. A box or receptacle comprising a body portion and a cover, said body portion provided with still, overlapping, garment-retaining sheets or strips, secured to the opposite walls of the box at points intermediate' the top and bottom thereof. 2. A box or receptacle comprising a body portion and a cover, said body portion pro 20 vided with stiff, overlapping, garmentretaining sheets or strips secured to the opposite walls of the box at points intermediate the top and bottom thereof and at differing distances from the bottom thereof.

In testimon whereof, I allix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

MOCOMAS LEWIS.

Witnesses:

HA'I'IIE M. WEEKS, WILLIAM HENRY MARSHAL. 

